Every fall, the internet swells with affection for Alaska's fattest celebrities: grizzly bears packing on the pounds before hibernation.

This year, the crown (and crown-sized belly) belongs to 32 Chunk, a hulking brown bear in the Katmai National Park who dominated the 2025 Fat Bear Week competition.

With cheeks like saddlebags and a belly brushing the riverbank, Chunk waddled past the competition to take the title. But while Alaska's titans are stars online, it raises the question: how big do bears get in places like Alabama?

What is Fat Bear Week?

Fat Bear Week is an annual online tournament hosted by Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska, where the public votes on which brown bear has bulked up the most before winter. It's a celebration of conservation success, salmon-fueled

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